‘Run Kalyani’ to Kick Off Digital Edition of New York Indian Film Festival

The 20th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival will go online, powered by Movie Saints, following in the footsteps of many other fests.

Running July 24-Aug. 2, the digital NYIFF will open with the streaming of Geetha J’s Malayalam-language “Run Kalyani,” about a woman who works as a cook while caring for her ailing aunt. An Indian cover of Ravel’s “Bolero” accompanies her daily life.

“‘Run Kalyani’ is a gorgeous film and got a lot of love from our programming committee,” said Aseem Chhabra, NYIFF festival director. The festival is presented by the Indo-American Arts Council

The fest will close with Geethu Mohandas’ “Moothon,” produced by Anurag Kashyap. Mohandas’ “Liar’s Dice” played in the festival in 2013 and the film was entered in the 2014 Oscar foreign-language race as India’s entry. “Moothon” is described as a film about love and loss.

Two documentaries will be featured as the festival’s centerpieces. Vidya Baksh’s “Son Rise” highlights how patriarchy is deeply rooted in states such as Haryana. It will play July 28. Tanuja Chandra’s “Aunty Sudha, Aunty Radha,” about her two widowed aunts who live in the family home in a village in Uttar Pradesh, streams July 29.

A conversation with actor Manoj Bajpayee (“Gangs of Wasseypur”) is among the special features of the festival.

For more information, visit iaac.us or nyiff.moviesaints.com.

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